The Date To Remember - 28 October 1999.
The Place - The House Of Lords
The Names - Mr. John Thompson and Mr. Martin Fitzpatrick
The First Legal GAY Family in the UK.
What was most shocking is Mr Thompson had been dead for 5 years.
Martin and John had lived together for 18 years in what the law lords described as a "longstanding, close, loving and faithful, monogamous, homosexual relationship.".
Even so, Martin Fitzpatrick was told to leave his home when John died. John was the tenant and Martin was not.
If they had been a Straight Couple and unmarried that would not have happened - the Common Law Spouse would have inherited the tenancy.
Martin refused to leave his home - he sued for Human Rights Abuse. He was not willing to have anyone trash his Private and Family Life.
More so, during the relationship, John had been taken ill and was left profoundly disabled. As the judges noted;
"after various unfortunate incidents at the hospital, the applicant took Mr. Thompson home in April 1986 to care for him full time himself. ...
The applicant took over the total care 24 hours a day for Mr. Thompson, feeding him and nursing him until his death in 1994. The applicant gave up his job and received benefit because he was unable to work, due to his full time care of Mr. Thompson. ...
Despite the loving and dedicated care of the applicant, Mr. Thompson died in November 1994.".
The Law in An Ass. Other judges had concluded "that the appellant succeeded as a spouse of, but, if not, then as a member of the family of, the original tenant."
It was appealed.
On 28th October 1999 two things happened.
1. The last ever adjudication by the Law Lords was handed down - their powers transferred to the new supreme court.
2. LGB people became families.
The Law Lords Voted 3-2 in favour.
"It is plain on the findings .... that in this case, on the view of the law which I have accepted, on the facts the appellant succeeds as a member of Mr. Thompson's family living with him at his death.
On that ground I would allow the appeal."
LORD SLYNN OF HADLEY
I would allow this appeal. It is not disputed that if a same sex partner can qualify as a member of the tenant's family, the appellant does in fact qualify..... The judge found they enjoyed a very close, loving and monogamous homosexual relationship.
LORD NICHOLLS OF BIRKENHEAD
... under section 113 of the Housing Act 1985 a person was a "member of another's family" if he was the spouse of that person ... If, as I believe, the word is now appropriate to cover a homosexual partnership of the kind which existed in the present case, ....
...it seems to me consistent with the intention of Parliament that it should be so applied ...
LORD CLYDE
I fully recognise the strength of the argument, eloquently stated ..., that Parliament should change the law to give protection to the homosexual partner of a deceased tenant and also to other persons who lived with and gave devoted care to deceased tenants.
LORD HUTTON
A photographer caught the moment of Victory.
Lord's GAY Ruling Redefines The Family.
It's quite clear that something bloody significant had happened. You don't get to redefine the law on what is a family every day.
It was the change that led to the First Civil Partnership, 19 December 2005.
Belfast. I was there.
Normally you celebrate events and their anniversaries.
So 20 years on, 28 October 2019, what did that bastion of LGB equality - Stonewall - have to say.
Sweet F.A.
Silence
Nada
Niente
They could have been crafty and covered up the faux pas by making a Big Thing of 21 years and coming of age ....
But 28 October 2020 all that came from Stonewall was Silence, except where they bellowed about Trans issues.
Stonewall had a new toy and that was all that mattered
Does anyone want to wait until the Quarter Century - 25 Years - a Silver Anniversary to see if Stonewall has any kind of Institutional memory?
If you do, consider this.
In 2017 they forgot to cover Discriminatory Laws that had been on the books for 50 years, since 1967.
Stonewall scrubbed LGB from their website masthead in Feb 2015.
They have claimed they promote Equality Without Exception ever since.
The equality of celebration and memory is not equal in Stonewall - they have abandoned The LGB & can't see the Issues for the glitter & rainbows
The Humanity of LGB people is no longer recognised by Stonewall.
They can't even see the courageous humanity in a Gay Man fighting for 5 years to finally be family with his dead partner - and changed the GAY world for everyone else.
RIP Stonewall. Nothing To Celebrate.
